Dream Maker
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4.3 • 97 Ratings
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
Two broken hearts find love and healing in each other in this sexy contemporary romance spin-off from the New York Times bestselling author of the Rock Chick and Dream Man series.
Evan "Evie" Gardiner has spent her whole life being the responsible one in her family, but enough is enough. It's time to pursue her own dreams. Evie's finally going to finish that engineering degree she's been working toward. But first she needs to come up with the money to pay for tuition. Working as a dancer at Smithie's club seems like the perfect solution to her problems . . . until her family lands in yet another scrape and comes to Evie for help. Only, this time, her family's recklessness is risking more than her dreams-it's endangering her life.
Daniel "Mag" Magnusson knows a thing or two about desperation and disappointment, but no one notices that his good looks and quick wit hide the painful memories that haunt him. When Evie's family puts her in danger, Mag insists on offering Evie his protection. He has the skills to guard Evie's life, but as they grow closer, Mag realizes he'll need to come face-to-face with his demons to prove himself as the man who will protect her heart.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The excellent first romance in Ashley's Dream Team series features the alpha heroes and high-octane suspense her fans expect but balances the testosterone and adrenaline with moments of cozy domesticity. Mechanical genius Evie Gardiner is taking the long route to an engineering degree and works two jobs (providing tech support during the day and stripping at night) in Denver, Colo., so she can continue to bail out her irresponsible family whenever they get into trouble. Evie agrees to a blind date with Daniel "Mag" Magnussen, a former U.S. Marine, and is instantly flustered by his good looks and charm, but their date is interrupted when Evie's brother, Mick, needs her help. When Mick's shady dealings make Evie a target for Denver's most dangerous criminals, Mag commits to keeping her safe. While the subsequent action sequences including kidnappings and shoot-outs drive the story, Mag and Evie also spend a lot of time at home, cooking, kissing, and making plans for when their lives calm down. Familiar faces from Ashley's Rock Chick series will please long-standing fans, and new readers will quickly grasp the established dynamics. Those who like a dash of sweetness in their suspense will be delighted.
Customer Reviews
3.75stars-captivating and enjoyable
3.75 stars--DREAM MAKER is the first instalment in Kristen Ashley’s contemporary, adult DREAM TEAM erotic, romance series. This is twenty-seven year old, exotic dancer/IT specialist Evan ‘Evie’ Gardiner, and thirty four year old, fixer Daniel "Mag" Magnusson’s story line. DREAM MAKER and the Dream Team series is a spin-off from the author’s Rock Chick, Chaos and Dream Man series.
Told from first person perspective (Evie) and third person (Daniel) DREAM MAKER follows in the aftermath of a blind date between Evie and Daniel that went all to h*ll. Evie’s brother Mick is in jail, once again, and has called in another favor from our story line heroine but said favor was about to put Evie in the direct line of fire forcing Daniel to claim Evie as his own, pulling her into a lifestyle she knew nothing about. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Evie and Daniel, and the potential fall-out as Mick’s involvement with the seedier side of the Denver underbelly places Evie and Daniel at risk, along with Evie’s friends and fellow dancers at Smithie’s club.
Evie Gardiner’s family is the poster family for troubled and dysfunctional, and the deeper Evie is pulled into Mick’s life, the more at risk our heroine becomes but Mick isn’t the only family member placing Evie at risk as the apples don’t fall far from the proverbial trees. Working two jobs in an effort help pay for future college tuition, Evie struggles with her family and their negative impact on all of her relationships.
Daniel ‘Mag’ Magnusson is a retired US army soldier, and struggles with PTSD, and issues of rage and anger having witnessed atrocities no one should ever have seen. Meeting Evie Gardiner gives Daniel hope for the future but Evie’s inability to say no to her family places everyone at risk including our story line hero.
The relationship between Evie and Daniel begins acrimoniously as Evie believes she isn’t worthy of love or affection. Their first date quickly spirals out of control, and soon thereafter, Daniel calls in his friends and co-workers, including members of the Chaos MC, and the Rock Chicks, for help and support. The $ex scenes are intimate, passionate and erotic but I struggle with the use of a certain four-letter word in my romance story lines.
There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and familiar, secondary and supporting characters including Hawk, Auggie, Chaos MC member Kane ‘Tack ‘Allen; Mo, Elvira, Tex, Duke, Lottie, Axl, Boone, the Rock Chicks and their significant others; as well as Evie’s mother and father, and her step dad Rob; brother Mick; the ‘Dream Team’ dancers Ryn, Pepper, Ava; Lottie, and their boss Smithie; and Cicso aka Brett. The Rock Chicks reputation and life stories precedes their introduction to Evie’s fellow dancer,s and in this, Smithie’s girls want to be recognized for themselves, thusly calling the group the Dream Team. Ryn’s story is next in Dream Chaser.
DREAM MAKER is a story of family, friendship, betrayal and revenge. A story of a dysfunctional family unit who believe our heroine is expendable, using Evan Gardiner as their personal emotional punching bag. The premise is captivating and enjoyable; the characters are energetic and charismatic; the romance is seductive and intense-prepare for a case of insta-lust for Daniel ‘Mag’ Magnusson, and the use of baby and honey at every opportunity; and for fans of Kristen Ashley, a familiar formula as the heroine is kidnapped on more than one occasion.
Not as great as expected
Not as good as expected
I usually love her books but with the price increase and the rote writing -I ill not be continuing with this series
Dream Maker
Comfort food for the mind. Love getting lost in Ms Ashley’s stories.
J Holmes
Huge fan.